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Contact usAlternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and Mediation
We encourage clients to engage in Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) where it’s appropriate. With several trained mediators and other ADR specialists on board, our lawyers can provide expert advice on all forms of ADR like commercial arbitration. We appear regularly before arbitral bodies including the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA).
Our focus is you
When you have a dispute, whether with an individual or an organisation, Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) may well be worth considering. ADR is a less formal way of trying to resolve disputes than litigation, it takes less time and is usually far more cost effective. Accordingly, ADR is something that our lawyers will always be alive to, discuss with our clients and implement where that is likely to be in our clients’ best interests.
What is Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)?
ADR comes in a number of forms, the most well known of which is probably mediation but there are a number of other forms, including negotiation, expert determination and arbitration, including informal arbitration in the context of unfair dismissal claims. The most common form of ADR is mediation where the parties will come together and present their case to an independent trained mediator who will then work with the parties to try to encourage a settlement. If an agreement is reached and signed it is binding on the parties and can be enforced like any contract or Court judgment.
There is no obligation on either party to settle in a mediation and the mediator cannot impose his or her own decision. Even if a mediation is unsuccessful, this is unlikely to present significant difficulties to either party because mediations are conducted on a confidential basis and cannot be discussed with a judge of any description in the matter in question until the matter has been finally determined.
Both parties have to agree to ADR, although in some cases the Court may insist that the parties consider ADR and can even impose cost penalties if they do not. ADR can take place at any time before or during formal Court proceedings and so it should not be looked upon as being entirely separate from a litigation process. Rather, ADR can compliment an ongoing litigation process. If ADR fails then both parties can still resort to or carry on with Court proceedings.
Our lawyers approach to Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)
DMH Stallard are very supportive of ADR and dispute resolution practices. Our lawyers have significant expertise in ADR and indeed several of our practitioners are trained mediators with some of the leading organisations dedicated to mediation, including the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR).
Our lawyers have offices based in London and other locations across the South-east which include Gatwick and Crawley, Hassocks, Horsham, Brighton and Guildford.
Please note that visits to our office is by appointment only. If you require legal advice please contact one of our solicitors via our online enquiry form.
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Meet the dispute resolution team
Recent work
Sectors
Shareholder dispute
Defending a claim in the London Court of International Arbitration regarding a dispute by a former shareholder who claimed his shares were unlawfully purchased from him by the company: £3.3m.
Fraud
A claim for fraud arising out of the dishonest diversion of business, clients and income by the Managing Director and others: £3,000,000.
High value claim
Defending a claim arising out of the design, construction, procurement, commissioning and installation of cooling units at data centre halls: £77m.
Joint venture agreement losses
A claim pursuant to personal guarantees for losses arising out of a Joint Venture Agreement: £7m.
Negligence claim against solicitors
Claim against solicitors for drafting errors in a Share Purchase Agreement: £4.5m.
High value risk mitigation
Assisting a national PLC with an ongoing project to address a myriad of financial and regulatory issues. We have worked with this client to identify and rectify these issues so as to achieve the client’s objectives in a cost-effective manner whilst successfully managing what could have been significant potential reputational risk for our client.
Dispute Resolution and Commercial Litigation Lawyers
High value director dispute
Acting for a luxury IT system and creative design company in a dispute involving the forced removal of a director and 50% shareholder for breach of fiduciary duties and shareholders’ agreement. The shareholder is aiming to recover its shares through a share buyback. The dispute, ongoing for over two years, has severely impacted our client’s business growth and development, complicated by the absence of a shareholders’ agreement and threats of unfair prejudice claims and attempts to wind-up the company.
Dispute Resolution and Commercial Litigation Lawyers
Defending complex enforcement action
Acting for a property construction and development company facing enforcement action over two loans totalling approximately £3.9m, secured by property and subject to multiple assignments. In response to the lender’s actions, we challenged the loans on various grounds, including regulatory compliance under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, asserting that they constitute unfair relationships under the Consumer Credit Act 1974, and disputing the validity of receiver appointments and default interest provisions, arguing that they are unenforceable as a penalty.
Construction and Engineering
Multi-angled shareholder dispute
Acting for a large care home group embroiled in a dispute with a departing employee/director who is also a shareholder and involved in competing businesses. The case involves complex issues of constructive dismissal, unfair prejudice, and refusal to relinquish shares, compounded by allegations of fraudulent misrepresentation and discussions around rescission of shareholder agreements. We are actively engaging in negotiations to force share buybacks and defend against expected High Court claims, which have disrupted the group’s growth plans, resulting in loss of management time and potential revenue.
Dispute Resolution and Commercial Litigation Lawyers
High value enforcement action
Representing an offshore lender involved in a joint loan of approximately £12m to two companies for land development in the North West of England, secured by legal charges and personal guarantees. After the companies defaulted, we assisted in various enforcement actions, including appointing receivers, and addressing issues with UN1 registrations from potential buyers. We are currently pursuing the directors under their personal guarantees to mitigate a substantial shortfall of over £6m for the lender.
Banking and Finance
Insights
Announcements
DMH Stallard has reported exceptional levels of employee satisfaction, with 100% agreeing that the firm is a good place to work in latest survey.
28/09/2026
Insights
DMH Stallard has advised BDX Group Ltd and Socrates Holdings Ltd on the successful acquisition of Socrates Imaging B.V. and Socrates Imaging Ltd.
24/09/2026
Insights
unpacking the High Court’s dismissal of privacy claims arising from unlawful information gathering in Baroness Lawrence v Associated Newspapers [2026] EWHC 1637.
18/09/2026
Events
In this latest webinar, our Immigration team willl provide an overview of what is changing, what it means for your business, and how your commercial contracts and service arrangements may be impacted by the extended liabilities pertaining to third party workers.
